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GAME TIME
Morgan State (1-3, 0-0) returns home to host South Carolina State (0-4, 0-1) for its annual Homecoming game. The Bears' conference opening match-up will kick off in Hughes Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 6th at 1 p.m. and will be televised by SPORTSFever Television and will also be broadcast on WEAA, 88.9 FM. The Bears enter the 2018 season under the leadership of interim head coach Ernest T. Jones. SCSU completed the 2017 season with a 3-7 overall mark and went 2-6 in the MEAC. The Bulldogs will enter the contest fresh off of a 31-16 loss vs. #12 N.C. A&T last Thursday night in an ESPNU nationally televised contest.
GAME COVERAGE
TELEVISION: SPORTSfever Television Network (STN) will be broadcasting the game live ... Phil Schoener will handle the play-by-play duties with color analyst Emory Hunt.
• The game will also be broadcast live on three television networks, including on WBAL 11.2 MeTV in the Baltimore area. The contest will also be on WHP 21.2 My Network in the Harrisburg-Lancaster (Pa.) region and on Erie News Now ENN+ in the city of Erie (Pa.).
• In addition, there will be two tape delay broadcasts in other areas. WPHL 17 in Philadelphia will show the game at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 2nd, while Sports Time Ohio, serving several cities in the state including Cleveland, will air that game on Sunday at noon.
RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Renard Stubbs and Austin Wardin the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org.
LIVE STREAM: TBD
LIVE STATS: Click Here
SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.
TICKETS
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats are now available for purchase by calling 443.885.1522 or visiting MSU Student Center Athletics Ticket Office during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or visit morganstatebears.com/tickets.
THE SERIES
• Saturday matchup marks the 39th meeting between the two schools.
• The Bulldogs lead the overall series 31-6-1 since 1971.
• SCSU won last season's matchup in Orangeburg, S.C. (Oct. 6, 2017) by a score of 35-14.
• Morgan State posted a 24-21 victory in the team's last meeting in Baltimore in 2014.
• SCSU has won 10 of the last 11 meetings (2003-2017) against the Bears.
THE COACHES
• Morgan State - Ernest T. Jones (Alcorn State, '95) joined the Bears as the Defensive Coordinator in 2016 and was previously a JUCO head coach at ASA Miami (2015 - 8-2 record); he has also worked at Connecticut, Notre Dame, Univ. of Buffalo, Cincinnati, Alcorn State, Central Michigan, Oberlin, Kentucky State and Concordia. CAREER RECORD (11-15, 2 yrs); RECORD AT MSU (1-3, 1st yr).
• South Carolina State - Oliver "Buddy" Pough's (SCSU, '75) teams have captured two MEAC titles (2008 & 2009) outright, shared four others (2004, 2010, 2013 and 2014), and made four trips to the prestigious FCS playoffs (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013). RECORD AT S.C. STATE (120-68, 17 yrs).
QUICK HITS
• Junior DeAndre Harris, a 6-4, 210-pound quarterback from Washington (Ga.) has opened the season by connecting on 36 of 77 passes for 505 yards, including a pair of TDs. He also ran for a game-high 107 yards on the ground in Week 3 at UAlbany.
• The Bears recorded a season-high 229 yards on the ground against UAlbany. Junior RB Josh Chase finished with a season-high 20 carries for 68 yards, including his first TD of the season.
• LB Rico Kennedy, the team's leading tackler in 2017 with 70 stops, in addition to 19.5 tackles for loss (No. 3 in the FCS), has posted 24 tackles, a team-high 6 TFLs, with 2.5 sacks and three QB hurries through 4 games.
• Senior LB Damare' Whitaker leads the MEAC in with 40 total tackles (26 solo).
• MSU's defense forced five turnovers at UAlbany. Sophomore CB Donte Small (3 INTs), and r-junior CB DJ Trigg (INT) and r-senior DL AJ Agbelese had a fumble recovery.
• The Bears defense held #4 NCAT to 1 of 12 in third down conversions.
• Ernest T. Jones' Bears are predicted to finish 9th in the MEAC's 2018 Preseason Order of Finish.
HOMECOMING LIFT
• Morgan State's Homecoming record is 13-4 since 2001.
• Last year, the Bears blasted Savannah State 48-28 during Morgan State's 150th Homecoming celebration.
• Two of the four losses were to North Carolina Central. The Eagles posted a 24-20 victory on Oct. 13 2012 and departed Cold Spring Lane with a 21-17 win on Oct. 22, 2016.
• MSU was the place to be on Oct. 13, 2001 as students and alumni celebrated Homecoming 2001 in the newly renovated Hughes Stadium. It marked the Bears first homecoming game at Hughes Stadium in three years. Head coach Stanley Mitchell's Bears defeated Savannah State 26-0 with over 14,000 fans in attendance.
LAST TIME vs. S.C. State - SEPT. 24, 2017
ORANGEBURG, S.C. -- Trey Samuel ran for 153 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries and South Carolina State scored 28 unanswered points in a 35-14 victory over Morgan State in an ESPNU nationally televised contest.
• The first six possessions of the second half ended in two safeties, two fumbles, a blocked field goal and an interception. Morgan State took a 14-7 lead after its two safeties but South Carolina State tied it on Quan Caldwell's 29-yard catch with 4:41 left in the third quarter.
• S.C. State opened the fourth with 21 points in less than three minutes.
• Two plays after Morgan State's fourth turnover, on a fumbled punt return, Samuel ran for a 15-yard touchdown to take a 21-14 lead. Darius Leonard intercepted a pass on Morgan State's next possession and ran it back 12 yards to extend the Bulldogs' lead and Samuel capped the scoring with an 89-yard TD run.
• Dewann Ford was 10-of-25 passing for 141 yards and one touchdown for S.C. State (2-3, 1-2 MEAC). Samuel opened the scoring on the Bulldogs' first possession with a 44-yard TD run.
• Elijah Staley completed 15 of 37 passes for 154 yards and two interceptions for Morgan State (0-5, 0-2).
MORGAN STATE/SCSU CONNECTIONS
• South Carolina State only has one player from the DMV area on its roster– junior RB Travon Thomas [Harwood, Md. | Southern Varsity HS]. Morgan State has zero players from the state of South Carolina.
A WIN WOULD ...
... give Ernest T. Jones his second win as MSU's head coach and his 12th career win.
... mark the Bears' first win against SCSU since a 24-21 victory in 2014.
... mark MSU's first conference win since defeating Savannah State 48-28 for Homecoming on Oct. 14, 2017.
... mark the Bears first home win since defeating Savannah State 48-28 for Homecoming on Oct. 14, 2017.
... trim the Bulldogs' series record against MSU to 31-7-1 since 1971.
A GLANCE AT THE BULLDOGS
• South Carolina State finished 2017 with an overall mark of 3-7 and went 2-6 in conference play. It was only the third losing season under Pough, who is second on the school's list of winningest coaches.
• Lamar Raynard threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns and #12 North Carolina A&T scored 28 straight points to beat South Carolina State 31-16 last Thursday night.
• Oliver "Buddy" Pough (SCSU, '75) leads the Bulldogs in his 15th season at the helm. Prior to taking the reins at South Carolina State, Pough spent five seasons as an assistant at the University Of South Carolina (USC), the last three as a running backs coach under Lou Holtz.
• Of 16 MEAC titles SCSU has garnered over the years, Pough has been a part of 14 either as a player, assistant coach or head coach.
• Under Pough, S.C. State has always been a defense-first football team. And even though the Bulldogs are 0-4, they rank No. 2 in the MEAC in pass defense (203.2 avg).
• Sophomore dual-threat QB Tyrece Nick (6-0, 170) leads the Bulldogs' offense both on the ground and in the air. Nick, who ranks No. 9 in the MEAC in passing, has completed 25-of-56 passes for 356 yards with a TD and two INTs. He also ranks No. 3 in the league in rushing with 259 yards (64.8 avg/g) and a TD.
• Sophomore LB Chad Gilchrist is S.C. State's leading tackler (22 tackles; No. 5 in MEAC), and the Bulldogs are big up front with a defensive line anchored by 6-foot-4, 290-pound tackle Paul McKeiver.
• R-Sophmore RB Datron James (5-10, 201) has been limited to just 2.7 yards per carry (39 att., 104 yds) through the first four games of the season.
• SCSU Jerome Pettiway is one of the top punters in the league. The senior is averaging 43.8 yards per punt (No. 3 in the MEAC) and has a season-long of 71-yard.
• De'Montrez Burroughs is one of Tyrece Nick's favorite targets. Burroughs, 6-2, 200, leads the Bulldogs with six catches for 142 yards (23.7 avg), including a TD. Will Vereen (5 rec., 71 yds) will also play a significant role in the passing game.
PRESEASON PICKED 9TH
Morgan State was picked to finish ninth (9th) to MEAC defending champion and Preseason #1 North Carolina A&T and #2 Howard.
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Seven (7) Morgan State football players were named to the 2018 MEAC preseason team, which was voted on by the conference head coaches and sports information directors. Senior defensive lineman Malachi Washington and junior linebacker Rico Kennedy were first-team selections. Senior offensive linemen Joshua Miles and Matthew Thompson were third-team picks, along with junior wideout Manasseh Bailey, junior linebacker Ian McBorrough, and senior defensive back Carl Garnes. The seven preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 37 lettermen and 16 starters returning for the 2018 Morgan State football season.
BEARS OPEN 120th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 120th season of football and will open the 2018 campaign under interim head coach Ernest T. Jones, set to enter his first year at the helm and his third year at Morgan State.
RETURN MEN
The 2018 Morgan State Bears return 37 letterwinners, including 16 starters - 7 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 on special teams.
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS
The Bears enter the 2018 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated.
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2018 campaign against four non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season against Towson (Sept. 1) in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore', followed by road trips versus Akron (Sept. 9), Univ. at Albany (Sept. 15) and the N.C. A&T (Sept. 22) game will also be recorded as a non-conference contest.
BEARS OPEN 41st SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 41st season in the MEAC when they host South Carolina State for Homecoming on Oct. 6.
• The Bears opened the 2017 MEAC schedule with a 49-17 loss against #15 N.C. A&T at Hughes Stadium.
• The Bears kicked off its first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979-80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.
EDWARD SCOTT NAMED TO FCS ADA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Division I Football Subdivision Athletics Directors Association announced that Morgan State's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Edward Scott will serve on its Executive Committee. Scott represents the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE CLASSROOM
The Morgan State football team has had great success in the classroom.
• Most recently, the Bears produced a 3.24 GPA during Summer 2018.
• The 2017-18 school year saw the Bears achieve their highest single-year GPA in program history.
• The program had 31 Athletic Director Honor Roll Members in the Fall of 2017, a 41% increase from the previous Fall.
MSU LEGEND EDDIE P. HURT NAMED TO 2019 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOT
76 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks make-up the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Morgan State head coach Eddie P. Hurt is among the list of nominees.
• Hurt led Morgan's football teams to six Black College National Championships and won 14 CIAA titles.
• Eleven of his squads executed undefeated seasons, including a non-losing string of games from 1932 to 1938.
• His 1943 team did not allow a score from a single opponent.
FOLLOW US IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
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